Institutes of Technology have their own autonomous award making powers for the first time ever, with the exception of doctoral awards.

The following is a selection of people who have recently begun interesting new roles in Ireland.

Johnny McGuirk has admitted that taking down his former club, Craobh Chiarain, to secure a breakthrough Dublin SHC final place for St Brigid’s, was ‘heartbreaking’.

Helen O'Callaghan asks 13 colleges how they plan to make their newest students feel welcome,what they feel sets these colleges apart, and whether they've got any new courses on offer this year.

Geraldine Carton and Taz Kelleher, the trendy duo behind Sustainable Fashion Dublin, are running fun events with a strong message about the fashion industry’s global environmental impact, writes Ellie O’Byrne

Emma Gallagher has been promoted to account director with corporate PR firm Heneghan PR.

Conor Kane has been appointed as South East correspondent with RTÉ News.

RTÉ has appointed a new south-east correspondent to a position which has been vacant for the past four months.

The primary reason for those working in the construction industry returning from abroad is down to family, an industry survey has found.

The latest moves in the world of business.

Dublin City University student Gabija Gataveckaite has been named Journalist of the Year at the 19th annual Student Media Awards tonight.

Cork teenager John Flynn has been named overall winner of the NewsBrands Press Pass awards after a nationwide journalism competition for 10,000 transition year students across Ireland.

Eve Kelliher gets the inside track from leading interior designer Deirdre Whelan.

A new student group is organising an event at Dublin’s Spire this Saturday to highlight Islamophobia and far-right extremism in the wake of the recent terror attacks in New Zealand.

As the Metropole Hotel unveils its own new snug, Donal O’Keeffe takes a leisurely stroll around Cork and visits some of the city’s cosiest pub corners.

A free-roam virtual reality experience said to be the first of its kind in Ireland, is to open in March offering players the opportunity to fend off zombie hordes, among other games.

The impressive 2018 winners will face the top-three teams in the all-time roll of honour.

Free accommodation is to be provided, along with a €186,000-plus salary, for the president of Ireland’s first technological university — but the location will only be decided after the person is selected.

The joint application for university status by institutes of technology in Carlow and Waterford will be submitted to the Government by the end of September but no timeframe has been set out by the Minister for Education Richard Bruton for approval of the plan.

It is being formed by the merger of the Institutes of Technology in Blanchardstown, Tallaght, and DIT.

The likelihood of the first technological university (TU) being established in Dublin should be known by the end of summer.

According to a new report, over 3,500 positions will need to be filled in the sector between now and 2021.

Tax reliefs worth millions of euro are not being claimed by students or their families for third-level fees, a college support service estimates.

Irish students are missing out on millions of euro each year by not claiming tax relief on college fees.

Most Irish colleges have been graded above international averages for teaching and learning standards in an international ranking system.

Traders in Cork should be given “a little taster” of the St Patrick’s Street afternoon car ban over the coming weeks to encourage them to embrace change.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has called on Britain to change its approach in the Brexit talks on the North in order to avoid the collapse of negotiations.

Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy is under fire for prioritising his own political career ahead of solving the housing crisis.

The long-mooted Northern Ring Road to unlock the economic potential of Cork city’s northside is more crucial than the proposed €850m M20 motorway between Cork and Limerick, a planning expert has said.

Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy and his department have defended moves to “lower” minimum standards for new apartments, despite widespread concerns being expressed.

Ahead of International Women’s Day, Pádraig Hoare talks to Leisha Daly, country director of Janssen, the pharmaceutical firm of Johnson & Johnson, about women leaders

A unique arts course on an island off the south-west coast has been saved after Cork County Council said it would double grant aid to keep it afloat.

NUI Galway 2-12 Dublin IT 0-15

NUI Galway manager Maurice Sheridan is hopeful that his side can now go all the way and claim their 23rd Sigerson Cup crown after qualifying for the final after a tough contest at the St Loman’s club in Mullingar.

DCU were always in control of this all-Dublin clash between two colleges hoping to reach their first Fitzgibbon Cup final and they will now hope to bring the trophy back to the capital for the first time since 2001.

An emergency meeting has been sought aimed at staving off the closure of an important arts course which generates around €150,000 per year for the economy of an island off the south-west coast.

Kerry could be without three of their UCD players for their refixed Division 1 game against Monaghan this Sunday (2.30pm throw-in).

Dublin 0-20 Donegal 0-15: Dublin manager Jim Gavin insists that attacker Diarmuid Connolly remains part of the All-Ireland champions’ panel and could make a return to duty in their next game.

Lee Keegan’s criticism of the “very dirty tackle” which left Evan Regan with a broken jaw was “way off the mark”, according to Kerry manager Éamonn Fitzmaurice.

UCD and NUI Galway are unlikely to field their Corofin players in Tuesday’s Sigerson Cup semi-finals.

DIT 0-19 UCD 0-17: On the face of it this is a big boost for Dublin hurling as two colleges who have never reached the Fitzgibbon Cup final hammer it out in the semi-finals next week and the appearance of either DIT or DCU in the decider will be hailed in the capital.

DCU midfielder Darren Mullen said that knocking out the champions and advancing to the semi-finals of the Fitzgibbon Cup is a huge boost to hurling in the university.

The game seemed destined for extra-time until the closing stages.